Preview
Production Season
Fall 2016
Dates of Performance
Nov. 17-20, 2016
Production Staff
Written by Bertolt Brecht, Directed by Gigi Jennewein, Original Music by Jerald Parks '17
Recommended Citation
Theatre, DePauw, "The Good Person of Szechwan" (2016). Past DePauw Theatre Seasons. 53, Scholarly and Creative Work from DePauw University.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/commtheatre_past/53
Keywords
undergraduate theatre
Play Summary
Can one be good in a corrupt world? This is the central question in Bertolt Brecht’s timeless parable about Shen Te, the good prostitute, who must ultimately employ bad practices to have even the most basic of life’s necessities. While the title of the play suggests a Chinese setting, it is no stretch to imagine – as we do – that the story happens in a modern U.S. city, in one of those places, according to Brecht “where man is exploited by man.” When Shen Te alone satisfies the need of visiting “gods” to prove success with their governing policies, she is rewarded with money. Not unsurprisingly, Shen Te uses her windfall to better herself and the lives of her impoverished friends and neighbors. But her good deeds are exploited and impossible to sustain, and Shen Te is forced to resort to deceit and oppression nearly killing off her much desired and admired goodness. As with most of his work, Brecht is critiquing societal politics that make it so difficult to adhere to moral principles. And he hopes – as do we – that his work will inspire play-goers to question why and work towards change.